


basting stitches

by pseudocordelia



Category: Fire Emblem: Fuukasetsugetsu | Fire Emblem: Three Houses
Genre: (Established Ashedue), (Felix), (when Ashe believes Dedue has died), Anal Sex, Angst with a Happy Ending, Established Relationship, Face-Sitting, Fake Character Death, Loss of Virginity, M/M, Polyamory, Polyamory Negotiations, Threesome - M/M/M, Trans Male Character, Unintentional Cheating, attempts at humor
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-03-09
Updated: 2020-03-16
Packaged: 2021-03-01 02:14:56
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 7
Words: 9,857
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23077642
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/pseudocordelia/pseuds/pseudocordelia
Summary: "You see, Ashe, you've gotten damn handsome. I thought we could go chat up some lovely ladies, you know?"Ashe squints. He isn't sure where Sylvain is going - or if that was meant to be a compliment. "...I know?""So, after a few drinks, I told you we should do just that, but then you downed the whole glass of wine I got us and went on a bit of a rant. You said you weren't too interested in women.""That's all? I thought you already knew that--""Andthat you'd rather tease Felix instead. Then you said it was really hot when Dimitri crushed that guy's skull, and to be honest, you're right, but then you started crying about Dedue and how you didn't want to die a virgin and I had to carry you out of the tavern."-Ashe returns to Garreg Mach, only to receive the news that his boyfriend, Dedue, died five years ago. Sylvain ends up comforting him, but that brings Felix and his baggage into the fray. (Not to mention, Dimitri had gotten kind of hotter.)(For Ashe week. Alternatively titled "The Ashe Harem Fic".)
Relationships: Ashe Duran | Ashe Ubert/Dedue Molinaro, Ashe Duran | Ashe Ubert/Felix Hugo Fraldarius, Ashe Duran | Ashe Ubert/Felix Hugo Fraldarius/Sylvain Jose Gautier, Ashe Duran | Ashe Ubert/Sylvain Jose Gautier, Dimitri Alexandre Blaiddyd/Ashe Duran | Ashe Ubert, Dimitri Alexandre Blaiddyd/Ashe Duran | Ashe Ubert/Dedue Molinaro, Dimitri Alexandre Blaiddyd/Dedue Molinaro, Dimitri Blaiddyd/Ashe Duran | Ashe Ubert/Felix Fraldarius/Sylvain Gautier/Dedue Molinaro, Felix Hugo Fraldarius & Dedue Molinaro, Felix Hugo Fraldarius/Sylvain Jose Gautier, Sylvain Jose Gautier/Dedue Molinaro
Comments: 26
Kudos: 116





	1. ruptured heart

**Author's Note:**

> Special thanks to my friend Blair for proofreading this chapter. I hope you enjoy!

Dedue Molinaro was the sweetest man alive. He brought Ashe breakfast in bed after the incidents at Magdred Way and Remire Village. He was so gentle in the greenhouse, yet so quick to come to Ashe's aid in battle. Not to mention that his cooking really was delicious. 

He was always there for Ashe. He was a great friend. 

And as selfish as it was, Ashe just knew he'd be the perfect boyfriend as well. So when the ball was coming up, of course Ashe took the opportunity to ask him. He'd fumbled with his words so much that Ashe didn't even remember how exactly he asked, but the important thing was Dedue said yes.

It was a wonderful night. Annette even helped him put on a little bit of eye makeup. Dedue told him he looked lovely. They only shared one dance, once the hall was mostly empty and the band had quieted down, but it was a wonderful night nonetheless. Afterwards, Dedue walked him back to their rooms. 

Standing in the doorway, up on the tips of his toes, Ashe stole Dedue's first kiss.

_He's dead now. He died in Dimitri's place._

He waited five long years only for their promise to be broken. So when Sylvain asked if they could go to the tavern together, of course Ashe agreed.

He wakes up feeling even worse. His throat is dry and his head is tight. He rubs his eyes, but when he sits up he nearly screeches. "Sylvain!"

"Hey." He's sitting on a chair backwards, resting his arms across the top rail. His legs are spread almost obscenely. "You feeling alright? Want some water?" _  
_ "Sylvain." He frowns. _Of course he’s not feeling alright!_ "Why are you in my room?"  
"Don’t you remember last night?"  
  


He doesn’t. That’s a bad thing. He stands up to look straight down at Sylvain.

"What did you do?"  
Sylvain moves his hands up, defensively. "Wow," he sighs. "I’m not _that_ low. I just brought you back here because you were drunk. Really drunk."  
Somehow that answer makes things even worse. Ashe stares down at the floor with a haunted expression, trying to process things. "What did _I_ do?"  
"Do you really want to know?" Sylvain laughs, standing up himself just to get a glass of water to push Ashe's hands. "You're gonna have to sit down for this."

Ashe lets out a huff, but does as asked and plopped back down on his bed. The water was nice and cold. Sylvain just pulled his chair out, just so he could actually sit on it properly now. 

"Alright," he says. When he sits back down his legs are still obscenely spread. Weren't nobles meant to be taught manners? "You see, Ashe, you've gotten damn handsome. I thought we could go chat up some lovely ladies, you know?"  
Ashe squints. He isn't sure where Sylvain is going - or if that was meant to be a compliment. "...I know?"  
"So, after a few drinks, I told you we should do just that, but then you downed the whole glass of wine I got us and went on a bit of a rant."

A rant? Ashe really hopes it wasn't about Loog and Kryphon or something of the sort. He’s already embarrassed himself a few too many times drinking with the knights of Rowe.

"Go on."  
"You said you weren't too interested in women."  
"That's all? I thought you already knew that--"  
" _And_ that you'd rather tease Felix instead. Then you said it was really hot when Dimitri crushed that guy's skull, and to be honest, you're right, but then you started crying about Dedue and how you didn't want to die a virgin and I had to carry you out of the tavern."

Ashe doesn’t know what to say. Those were all things he had thought, but to actually say them… he wants to crawl up in a ball. How is Sylvain supposed to ever take him seriously again?

Sylvain didn’t miss a beat, though. "You also said I was a bit of a whore--"  
"I’m sorry," Ashe groans. "Please be quiet."  
"I mean, I was going to say the offer is still up if you still want to tomorrow. When you’re sober."  
"If I still want to do what, exactly?" He furrows his brow. Sylvain just chuckles.  
"Don’t you want to see the tricks I’ve learnt through my career as a whore? No strings attached."   
Ashe opens his mouth to speak, but Sylvain just winks at him. "Anyway, do you wanna get breakfast? I could really go for some sweet buns right now." 

* * *

The knights are back.

Ashe wants to ask Cyril how he knows Rhea is still alive. He knew that the empire hadn’t announced her death, but they hadn’t announced Dedue’s either. _Was Dedue not that important?_

Ashe remembers the quiet days before the Battle of Garreg Mach. He remembers Dedue’s warm embrace. He remembers the night they made no promises.

"I’ll miss you."  
"I swore a vow."  
"You know His H-- You know _Dimitri_ wouldn’t want that."  
"I know."  
  
Ashe said nothing else. Dedue just brushed his hair to the side and kissed him on the forehead: his unique way of saying goodnight. 

  
He remembers the day he heard the news. _Prince Dimitri has been executed._ The words were distributed all over Faerghus. No mention was made of his retainer. Ashe still held onto one last shred of hope.  
  
He held on for five years. _  
_  
Dedue was important, but he’d want Ashe to move on. He’s sure of it. He’ll speak to Sylvain tomorrow. In the meantime, he and Cyril have some catching up to do.  
  


* * *

A small part of Sylvain worries that he’s taking advantage of Ashe, but then Ashe knocks on his door. They stare at each other for a few moments before Ashe strides through the doorway/ He doesn't comment on Sylvain's clothes - or lack thereof. He's just wearing briefs and a singlet top, his usual sleepwear, but Ashe is fully dressed.

He gently closes the door behind him, kicks his shoes off and without a moment’s notice, his lips are on Sylvain’s. He’s enthusiastic, to say the least, but the way Ashe grips his hand almost hurts. When Ashe parts to take a breath, Sylvain steps back. "Wait, sit down," he pants. "Please."

Ashe just laughs and does as told. As Sylvain rummages through his drawers, he strips down to just his trousers, folding his clothes as he went. Finally, Sylvain declares that he "found it!" and slams the drawers close. 

Ashe knows what _it_ is, but still isn’t sure what to say. "Nice," he mumbles. Sylvain just looks over at him and smirks as he walks over, placing the squeeze bottle on his bedside table before plunking down beside him and holding out his arms.  
  
"Wanna sit in my lap?"  
  


Ashe nods, bashfully. Sylvain lifts him into his lap as if he doesn’t weigh anything and then dips down to kiss him where his neck and shoulder meet. Ashe isn’t sure what he’s meant to do. He can _feel_ Sylvain through his pants, and he wants to go further but he also doesn’t Sylvain to stop. 

Sylvain does stop. He’s got a stupid grin on his face. "Can I leave some marks?"  
Ashe thinks with his dick. "Yeah." 

  
Sylvain dips down to do exactly that, whilst also blindly playing around with the drawstring of Ashe’s pants. Ashe finds himself untangling his legs from Sylvain, just to throw the damn things off. 

He embraces Sylvain again, hugging him with both his arms and legs. He tries to create friction between them to get off a little bit, but Sylvain hasn't decided to be generous just yet.  
  
"Be patient," he teases in-between leaving lovebites. Ashe just pouts and gently grabs Sylvain's hair.  
"If you keep this up," he whispers into his ear, "I'll make you wait until tomorrow." 

Sylvain's mouth is off of him immediately. "Can you bottom?" he says, stretching an arm out to grab the squeeze bottle.

Ashe nods. He hasn't done this before, but it can't hurt too much to try, could it? He trusts Sylvain. Sylvain just smirks and uses one hand to tug down Ashe's briefs, and the other to pop open the cap. 

"Tell me if you need me to stop," Sylvain whispers as he spreads lubricant across his hand, having placed it back down and by the stars, Ashe thinks he sounds so much sexier than his earlier stunt. He nods, and then Sylvain’s sliding a hand down his back. Down further, until he can give a playful squeeze. Ashe finds himself laughing just a bit.

Sylvain smiles down at him. "It’s always uncomfortable at first," he says. "Trust me, I know. So, if you want… you can kiss me to distract yourself."  
"Okay." What else is he meant to say? More importantly, where is he going to kiss Sylvain?  
Sylvain exhales. "Okay."  
  
The first finger slides in surprisingly easily.  
  
Ashe buries himself into the crook of Sylvain’s neck. He doesn’t even actually kiss him. The sensation is strange, but not unpleasant, and Sylvain takes his time. He moves his finger around slowly, just enough for Ashe to get impatient, but then he touches _there_ and Ashe finds himself moaning.  
  
"Found it!" Sylvain declares, pride evident in his voice. It’s the spot from all those stupid, raunchy books Ashe has read, but Sylvain doesn’t even continue touching it. He just slips in another finger and begins scissoring, spreading him out.  
  
Ashe whines. 

"You alright?" Sylvain asks, stopping for a moment. Ashe can’t be bothered speaking, so he just nods. Sylvain leans down to kiss him on the forehead before starting to move his fingers again. He keeps up the slow pace for what feels like far too long, and by the time he slips in a third finger, Ashe has had enough. He looks up and grabs Sylvain’s arm.  
"I’m ready," he says.  
"You don’t have to say that, Ashe. I’m a man of patie--"  
" _I’m ready_ ," he repeats, pouting.   
"Impatient, are we?"

  
Despite his words, Ashe can hear Sylvain wriggle out of his briefs. He takes his fingers out and pours out even more lube to rub on himself. The bottle snaps close, and then Sylvain’s hands are on his hips.  
  
"I’m going in," he declares, and Ashe just giggles.  
"Please do."

Sylvain pulls him even closer. It’s a bit of a stretch, but Ashe likes the feeling. He tightens his grip and subconsciously buries himself back into Sylvain’s shoulder. In turn, Sylvain brushes his loose silver strands behind his ear.  
  
"Is it alright if I move?"  
"Y-yeah."

  
Sylvain rocks his hips up and into Ashe. He’s slow, which isn’t so bad at first, but Ashe is indeed impatient. He likes the feeling of Sylvain rubbing against _that_ spot, and he can’t help but want more, so he moves one hand to Sylvain’s shoulder and lifts himself up. Then down. The sound is obscene.  
  
That manages to convince Sylvain to go faster. He even lets out a few grunts, ever so quietly. Ashe isn’t sure if it’s sexy or funny, or both, but either way, they’re both having a good time. A _great_ time, even, because the bed’s squeaking and Ashe practically is too. He’s _close_ , and before he even knows it he’s biting his lip and--

Sylvain slows down to gently pat his hair. When he comes back down, Sylvain slides himself out and finishes on his stomach. For a moment, they both just stop and stare at each other.  
  
Then Sylvain smiles. A rare, genuine smile. He goes back to stroking Ashe’s hair and lays kisses across Ashe’s freckled shoulders. "You were so good," he croons.  
Ashe blushes. "I... enjoyed myself as well."  
  
"I’m glad," Sylvain gives him one last kiss, on the back of his ear, before gently moving Ashe off his lap and onto the bed. Ashe lays down, but Sylvain stands up.  
  
Only then does Ashe realise what he did. _He came on Sylvain’s shirt._ How embarrassing! He’s about to apologise, but Sylvain speaks up before he can even open his mouth. "Alright, I just need to clean us up."  
  
He isn't mad. There really is no reason to worry. Sylvain’s bed is warm and cosy, and he only takes a moment to retrieve a towel and two changes of clothes from his chest of drawers. He wipes Ashe down and passes him a shirt. It’s too big, but it’s still perfect. Without a word, they both change into fresh clothes. 

"Feel free to come over anytime," Sylvain says as he crawls beside Ashe. He’s still smiling. "No strings attached."


	2. fractured shield

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> There were strings attached. Namely, Felix Hugo Fraldarius.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Not all of this chapter was beta read due to time constraints, so if there are any mistakes, please comment about them! I would like to thank the people at the FE3H rarepair port discord for their help, though. 
> 
> Felix is trans. His genitals aren't explicitly referred to in any part of this chapter. I'm not a trans male myself, (I don't know what exactly my gender is) but I think the trans Felix headcanon is really nice and tried my best to write this. If you think anything is off about the way I portrayed him, please point it out.

The morning after was lovely. Sylvain brought up sweet buns from the dining hall for breakfast.   
  
Yet, like all good things, it could not last forever. They had more important things to do, like training. Sylvain’s meant to groom the horses with Ingrid; Byleth insists it will improve his skill handling horses. Ashe finds himself wandering to the training grounds. (After Sylvain fetches him his clothes, that is.)

The targets hadn’t been moved in five years. The colour had faded, but it made no difference. 

Ashe pulls his bow taut. Letting go, the arrow audibly hits its target. He can’t help but smile at the sight of a bullseye. This feeling of pride is all too familiar. The sound of slow clapping from behind him, however, is not. He has to turn around.

"Felix!?" he gasps.  
The man in question just scoffs. "Ashe," he says, with a sardonic smile. It's a bit of a surprise he doesn't draw his sword.

Obviously Ashe knows Felix is a real sweetheart, deep down. _Just like that knight._ He's just… hard to read. Especially now, considering Ashe hasn't talked to him for a little under five years. 

He had just been… so overwhelmed. By the news, and by the state that Dimitri was in. He hasn't caught up with everyone yet.

Now's a better time than ever to speak to Felix, though. "It's good to see you," Ashe says. (He's happy that Felix isn't taller than him anymore.)  
"Yeah," is all Felix says before striding towards Ashe. Ashe has to put his training bow down and step back, and before he knows it Felix has him against the wall, with one hand resting on the brick above his shoulder. Ashe can't help but blush. 

"What happened?" He's looking at Ashe's neck. A few marks had managed to slip above his collar.   
Ashe, with his small ounce of naïvety, thinks Felix is concerned. "I'm fine," he says, trying his best to muster a smile. "You don't need to worry about it!"   
Felix sighs. He moves his hand just so he can cross his arms. "What I mean is, what happened with Sylvain?"  
"Oh, uh," Ashe mumbles for a moment, avoiding eye contact. His face feels hot. He was so much better at lying when he was younger… but there's no point in lying, anyway. "We had sex."

Felix stands back for a moment. His expression is a mix between flustered and disgusted. 

At that moment, Ashe has an epiphany. _There were strings attached._ Namely, Felix Hugo Fraldarius. Ashe knew he and Sylvain were close. He just hadn't thought that far. "Sorry?" is all he can think to say. 

"I'm not dating him. It's fine, just…" Felix pauses for a long moment. "He's infuriating." 

Ashe doesn't know what to say. So he doesn't say anything at all, but Felix's eyes trail down. Ashe's quickly follow, and then he realises. 

He's hard.

"Do you want help with that?" Felix asks, smirking.

Again, Ashe thinks with his dick. He nods, and then Felix silently takes him by the hand and drags him all the way out of the training grounds, up the stairs and into his room. It's all so quick.

Felix slams the door behind him and messily kicks off his boots. 

"You know I'm trans, right?" he asks.  
 _No, no he did not._ "That doesn't change anything."  
Felix nods and begins to take off his belts and jackets. "If at any point you want me to stop, tell me to stop."  
Ashe takes a deep breath. "Okay."

With his overwear now on the floor beside him, Felix leans in to kiss Ashe. His lips are surprisingly gentle, but at the same time, he's pushing Ashe against the wall. Again.

Once their lips part, Felix gets right down to his knees without breaking eye contact. "I want Sylvain to hear us," he states, bluntly. "Is that alright?"  
Ashe blinks. "What?" is all he can think to say. Most of his brain cells are too busy being horny.   
"I want Sylvain to hear us," Felix repeats, looking up at Ashe. "I heard you last night. It's only fair."   
Once again, Ashe can't think of much to say. "How?"  
Felix pouts and looks down at the floor beside him. "On my way back from training. It's not my fault."  
"N-no, I mean…" Ashe stammers. Having Felix below him like that is… enticing. "Isn't he in the stables?"  
"He's going to come back to change soon. The fool can't _stand_ having horsehair on his clothes." Felix lets out a sigh. "Anyway, can I suck you off or not?"   
Ashe just has to snicker at that. He would've never expected Felix, of all people, to say such a thing. "You can," he finally answers. 

Felix is quick to duck under Ashe's jacket and shove his pants out of the way. He gives Ashe a slow stroke before licking up his side. Slowly, Felix wraps his mouth around his length and moves down. He's good at this, to say the least, and they've barely even started.

Ashe finds himself brushing his hands through Felix's hair. He's whimpering and he can't help but move back and forth a little. 

Felix grabs him by the hip with both hands and just takes it. He moves his lips all the way down to the base, taking almost all of Ashe, and he doesn't even gag. _Felix lets Ashe fuck him in the mouth_. 

Ashe is close, and Sylvain would definitely be able to hear him. And that's before Felix pulls his mouth off, with a wet sounding pop, and grabs Ashe by the base. 

"Felix!" he shrieks. Such a thing is just cruel, even for him. 

Almost in tandem with his shriek, the door slams open. Perhaps Ashe would've heard his footsteps if his thoughts weren't completely occupied by his penis.

"Felix!" Sylvain scolds, already taking off his shirt. Felix rolls his eyes as if this has happened before.   
"Sit down, Sylvain." He lets go of Ashe and stands up. 

Ashe doesn't listen to whatever Felix is arguing about. Something about how rude it was to fuck Ashe without him. Usually, he'd pay more attention to his own name, but he's painfully hard, and he has to fix it. 

All it takes is one stroke to get him there. By the time he comes down, Felix has the most awful scorn on his face and Sylvain is naked. 

"Ashe, did you seriously fucking cum on my bedroom floor?"   
At that, Sylvain laughs. Felix elbows him. Ashe shrugs. "I can clean it later."  
Sylvain smiles and flexes his arms. "I can lick it off the floor!" he declares. Felix, for lack of a better word, growls.   
"You are _not_ doing that." 

Sylvain whines at that response and Ashe can't tell if he's joking or not. Felix just rolls his eyes again, before he starts to speak.

"Ashe," he begins, gesturing at Sylvain, "are you alright with this?"  
Ashe gulps. What even is _this_? The situation is surreal, to say the least. He won't object to Sylvain's presence, though. "Yes." 

With that, Felix's smirk turns into a genuine smile. He pushes Sylvain down to lay on his back and whispers something in his ear before beckoning Ashe to come closer. He steps out of his pants which had pooled at his ankles.

"Look at how loose he is," Felix practically scoffs. Without any preparation, he's able to easily slip in a finger. Sylvain just laughs a little bit. Ashe is amazed. _He really did know.  
_ Felix continues, his voice almost affectionate. "He was just like this whenever Gautier and Fraldarius met these past few years," he says before pausing for a moment to look around the room. 

"Go grab the lubricant from the top drawer over there." He finally instructs, gesturing to his right side. Ashe is all too happy to oblige. 

He quickly rushes back to Felix, and he's about to pass the bottle, but Felix puts out his palm. "Just coat yourself," he states. "Sylvain likes the stretch… isn't that right?"

Sylvain frantically nods but he does not move. Felix circles to the back of the bed and further undresses. Ashe still wants a better answer.

"Are you alright with that, Sylvain?"   
"If you want it, I want it," he says before winking at Ashe. "Even if this is kind of weird."  
"You're the one who decided to fuck Ashe without even taking him out to the dinner," Felix comments, halfway out of his pants. He still has his black undershirt on. "Not to mention you didn't even knock before coming in." 

Ashe chuckles before he begins to slowly spread the oil over himself.

Sylvain pouts. "I'm probably more impatient than you, you know."   
"Sorry?"   
"Don't be, Ashe." Felix still has a smile on his face as he crawls onto the bed, sitting above Sylvain's shoulder. "Nobody's more impatient than him. I bet he wants me to sit on his face right now."  
"I do!" There’s not an ounce of shame in Sylvain’s voice. Felix sighs and gets up on his knees, positioning himself over Sylvain’s mouth. 

Sylvain, from his wonderful position, stares at Ashe. "When you're ready," is all he says before he, for lack of a better word, dives his tongue into Felix. 

Felix tightly grips the bedsheets and bites down on his lip. Ashe finds himself excited at such a sight and lines himself up. 

Felix was right when he said Sylvain was loose: it's an easy fit. But Ashe isn't sure if he's doing it right. It's his first time doing this, and yesterday was his _first time_. Everything's been going so fast. 

Ashe wouldn't have it any other way, though, and Sylvain looks happy, at least. The feeling of being inside of Sylvain is… nice, too. So Ashe keeps going. He settles into a rhythm before moving his hands to gently rest on the sides of Sylvain's waist. 

It takes Ashe more than a moment to notice, amongst the wet noises and Felix's thighs muffling the sound, but Sylvain is definitely moaning. Felix seems to be having a good time himself… his eyes are clenched shut out of what can only be described as pleasure.

Ashe decides to go faster. He gets so focused on trying to make Sylvain feel good that he almost doesn't notice when Felix grunts. His legs convulse and Sylvain manages to swallow all of it. 

Maybe Sylvain’s just _really good_ at that, but with Felix finished Ashe feels like maybe he should hurry it up. Felix moves to sit on the side of the bed and take a few deep breaths, so Ashe leans down closer to Sylvain. He moves one hand to stroke Sylvain, and from the look on his face and the noises he makes... Ashe is pretty sure he's doing it right. 

A few more rolls of his hips and Sylvain is shaking. The filthiest noise comes out of him as he grabs Ashe's other hand.  
  
Ashe rides him through it with passion. He's close himself now.  
  
"Outside," Sylvain manages to groan once he's returned to the goddess' good green earth. Ashe is all too happy to. Just like Sylvain did the prior evening, Ashe pulls out and finishes on his stomach.  
"Guess you learnt one of my tricks." Sylvain's voice is dazed, and all of a sudden Ashe finds himself concerned.   
"Are you alright, Sylvain?" he asks once he’s caught his breath.   
  
Sylvain sits up and nods. He’s all sweaty and gross, but he still has an obscene grin.   
"Yeah!" he declares. "Felix and I have a safeword. _Alexandre._ " He exaggerates every syllable of the word, before having to deeply inhale through his nose. "Dimitri’s middle name. It’s so ridiculous!"  
  
Even Felix, now fully dressed, snickers. "You guys need to go take a bath," he says before chucking a towel Sylvain's way, trying not to laugh.   
"You're right," Sylvain agrees as he rubs the towel over his abs. Ashe nods and finds himself on a quest to find his pants.   
Somehow, Sylvain is a few steps ahead of him and manages to point them out. "Care to join me, Ashe?"   
"In the bathhouse?"   
"Where else?" Sylvain chuckles, but then his eyes widen and he goes silent for several ominous seconds. _He has an idea._ "Unless you want to do this again…?"  
Felix sighs. "Don't go doing things without asking me."  
"You're invited, Fe! How about my room after dinner?"   
Felix hesitantly nods. Ashe, as hot as his face is, does too.

(He finds himself very impatient for the rest of that day. It hadn't even been lunch yet!) 

* * *

Ashe finds himself invited into Sylvain and Felix’s quarters quite often over the coming months. After battle, after training, after dinner… almost every day. It’s nice, at first. They’re both good at what they do, to say the least. 

But outside of the bedroom, Sylvain and Felix will talk about this or that incident from their childhood. Sylvain will ask Felix if he remembered “that one time”, and Felix will tell Sylvain he’s gotten even more foolish since then. Ashe can’t help but feel he doesn’t belong. He doesn’t remember when Ingrid broke her arm and he doesn’t remember when Rodrigue tried to teach them faith magic: he was on the streets back then.

It gets even worse after Aileil. Ashe can hear their sweet nothings when he’s trying to sleep. So the next time Sylvain and Felix approach him in the training grounds, Ashe just has to admit how he feels. He’s sick of it.  
  
“I don’t want to be a third wheel anymore.”   
“What do you mean?” Sylvain just seems confused. Ashe realises how foolish his statement must’ve sounded.   
“You two…” he pauses for a moment to think things over. “You two care about each other, right? You don’t have to worry about me--”   
“You’re important,” Felix says, hardly louder than his whisper. He’s looking away, but the blush on his face is obvious. Sylvain enthusiastically nods.   
“Yeah! I like you, Ashe.” He doesn’t hesitate to flash Ashe a wide grin. “I’m sorry if I made it seem otherwise. I just like Felix too. Can’t we do this with, like, the three of us?”   
  
Once again, Ashe pauses. “What about those girls…?” he asks. Just thinking about it is enough to get him a tad… worked up. “Shouldn’t you apologise to them? That includes Ingrid!”   
Felix sighs before looking Ashe straight in the eyes. (He’s still blushing.) “He already has.”   
“I’m sorry…?” Sylvain says, his voice surprisingly somber for him. “What I did sucked, but I’m trying to do better.”   
Ashe just stares at him for a few moments before nodding. Sylvain awkwardly laughs.   
“How about I take the both of you out for dinner tonight?”   
  
(It’s a date.)


	3. cherished flower

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Ashe and Dedue have a lot to talk about.

Ashe likes his boyfriends. That goes without saying. He just loves how sweet Felix can be, and he loves how gentle Sylvain can be. They’re strong and handsome, and they work perfectly with him on the battlefield.  
****

Felix cuts a path, Sylvain scouts ahead, and he picks off any stragglers. They can manage on their own - together. Considering the state he's in, it's better for the rest of the army to focus on Dimitri. Such is their formation at Myrddin: whilst everyone else charges ahead to keep up with Dimitri, they hold the back lines.

Ashe nocks another arrow to fire at Acheron. Enemy reinforcements make no difference to their tempo.  
  
But then a knight with armour painted in a beautiful teal takes Acheron down from behind. Ashe can't help but stare. Enemy reinforcements don't throw him off rhythm, but this euphoria definitely does. The arrow falls out of his hands. 

It's him. He's here. He's alive and he's covered in a wicked noble's blood and he's _smiling_. 

"Do not let yourself get distracted," he says. Ashe thinks of what to say. He has so many questions. 

_How did you get that scar on your lip? How did you know we'd be here? How are you alive?_

_How?_

All of a sudden he's thrown back into reality by the sound of metal against metal. Dedue is out of his sight and Felix is protecting him from a would-be attacker. He doesn’t have the chance to ask anything, right now. "He’s right," Felix grits through his teeth. Ashe nods. 

He nocks another arrow.  
  


-

That wasn't a delusion.

The battle is over, Ferdinand and Lorenz are dead, and Dedue drops his axe to hug Ashe.

Ashe hugs him back. "I missed you," he murmurs. His eyes are wet, but he still feels like he’s lying somehow. Like he’s made a terrible mistake.  
"I missed you as well," he whispers, slowly stroking Ashe’s hair before leaning down to gently kiss his forehead. They stay like that for a minute or so, holding each other close. Yet eventually, Dedue has to pull away.  
  
"I have to speak with His Highness," he says. "I will be back again soon. We have a lot to talk about."  
  
Ashe hesitantly nods. They indeed have a lot to talk about.  
  
He watches Dedue leave. He can feel tears prick the corners of his eyes, but then Sylvain claps him over the shoulder. "Ashe." His voice is firm. "There’s nothing you need to worry about. Just follow your heart."   
  
Ashe turns to look Sylvain in the eyes. Felix is standing beside him with his arms crossed. "Sylvain is right this time," he sighs, his face scrunched up. "No matter what you do, I’ll still… be here."  
"We’ll still be here!" Sylvain corrects.   
  
Ashe sniffles. He still loves Dedue. He never stopped loving Dedue.  
But it’s okay.  
  


* * *

  
After dinner, Ashe lays down in bed and goes over what exactly he’s going to say. All too quickly, there’s a knock on the door. He takes a deep breath before answering.  
  
Dedue has taken his armour off. Only now does Ashe notice how much bulkier he’s got. _He’s beautiful._

"Thank you for this, Dedue," he says as he holds the door open. "Could you sit down?"  
"Of course," Dedue replies, moving to sit down on Ashe’s bed. Ashe takes his place beside him and brushes his hand over Dedue’s.  
"I thought you were dead," he states. There’s no other way to put it.  
Dedue moves closer to squeeze his hand. "I am sorry." 

"No, I understand why you did it… it’s just, I thought I’d never see you again." Ashe squeezes Dedue’s hand back. Doing so grounds him. It calms him. He… he can say it. "Sylvain and Felix… I’ve been seeing them."

Dedue seems bewildered for a moment. His mouth is slightly agape, but he takes a few moments to speak. "Do they treat you well?"  
  
"Yeah. I… like them. But I still want to be with you. I love you." Ashe lets out a sigh and looks down at the floor. He has to tell Dedue _everything_ . "I'm sorry. I was dirty--"   
"You are not dirty." Dedue interrupts him. He pats Ashe’s hair and once again leans down to kiss him on the forehead. "If it makes you happy and you can be honest with me about it... then I do not mind."  
  
Ashe wants to say more. He wants to tell Dedue how it started: he deserves to know. He should know that Ashe has gone all the way with both of them. But he looks up at Dedue, and the way Dedue looks at him… is so serene. Just seeing that look in his eyes, Ashe can tell just how much Dedue cares about him.  
They can speak later. Dedue won’t mind.  
  
"It means a lot to me," Ashe finally replies, burying his head into Dedue’s chest. He just needs to cry a little. "I missed you." He’s said the words already today, but he needs to say them again. He wants to say them again. Dedue just smiles. _He’s beautiful._  
"I missed you as well, Ashe."

They hold each other close for much longer this time. When Ashe has no tears left to cry, Dedue gently tips his chin up to kiss him. He kisses him again and again, slowly pulling Ashe into his lap.

When he pauses a moment to catch his breath, Ashe supposes he should speak up now. They've made out before, but never with so much passion. Ashe is pretty sure he knows where this is going. 

"I think you should know," he begins, once again squeezing Dedue's hand, "that I've had sex with Sylvain and Felix."   
Dedue stares him right in the eyes and doesn't even blink. "Are you in good health?"  
"Yes," he responds. Manuela said so at his last check-up.   
"Then I do not mind."

Oh. Ashe had failed to… hammer in the point. Dedue is too polite, really. "What… What I meant was," he stammers, "I thought… with the way things were going, that you wanted to…"  
"If you want to," is all Dedue says. He doesn't push the subject, and Ashe finds himself a blushing mess. _He does want to._ And now that he's brought it up, they may as well, right?

Ashe bashfully nods, before moving out of Dedue's lap for a moment to grab some lubricant. "Um… how do you want to do this?"  
"However you like." Once again, Dedue is too polite. That does give Ashe ideas, though.   
"H-how about I ride you?" he asks as he kneels in front of Dedue's lap. Dedue nods before pulling his shirt off inside out. 

There are more scars underneath. Ashe brushes a hand over one on his chest. The muscle underneath it is firm to the touch. Dedue just grins. "You do not need to worry about these."  
"But…" Ashe trails the hand up so he can hover a finger over Dedue's lip. "I'm curious as to what happened here."  
"An arrow missed its mark." 

Ashe nods, continuing to trace his finger around Dedue's lips. "It looks… nice."  
Dedue quietly laughs before beginning to unbuckle and unbutton Ashe's jacket. "Thank you," Dedue says in a soft, serene voice. "These scars… they are a reminder that I am alive. I lived not just to fulfill my oath to His Highness… but so I could return to you."  
Ashe sniffles. Dedue was so sweet. "Thank you." This time, Ashe says it.

He moves back for a moment to take this shirt and jacket off, as well as his trousers, before moving back to kiss Dedue. He wants Dedue to know he feels the same way. He has said "I love you," but he will never be able to say it enough times.

It takes a long time for Ashe to feel as if they have kissed enough, but eventually he moves down. He places a kiss in the centre of Dedue's chest, placing his hands on Dedue's shoulders. 

He even playfully rubs one of his nipples. Dedue groans in response. "Did you like that?" Ashe asks. Dedue, in turn, nods, and then Ashe gets a marvellous idea.

"Can I take your trousers off?"  
Dedue shakes his head. "Allow me," he instead responds, standing up for a moment to pull both his trousers and underpants off in one fell swoop.

Ashe stares for a moment, dumbfounded, as he pours the lubricant into one hand. As he sits back down, it's painfully obvious that Dedue's quite hard.

"Can I touch your…" What was he meant to say? Penis sounded too medical, and many of the words Sylvain used to refer to his made Ashe… wince.   
"Yes," is all Dedue says, sternly. Ashe didn't even finish his sentence, but he thinks he understands. Dedue is honest… if something is not right, he's sure Dedue will tell him.  
"Okay then."

Ashe begins to jerk Dedue off with his right hand, spreading the lube over his length. With the other hand, he caresses Dedue's nipples. The feeling of Dedue's soft skin against his fingers is nice… especially considering the face Dedue makes. He's biting down on his lip, and his brows are closely knit together. 

Experimentally, Ashe pinches. Dedue audibly groans. "That's it," Ashe coos, beginning to pick up the speed of his right hand. He's able to smoothly slide his hand along Dedue's erection. Drops of precum rub against his hand. "I want to hear you."   
"O-okay," Dedue stammers. The noises that come out of him are loud, but for Ashe, they are music to his ears. Dedue hasn't changed at all, really… he's still usually quiet. It makes hearing him like this so much better. 

His nipples have gone hard. Dedue places his hands on Ashe's hips and pulls him closer. His grip slightly tightens, though. Then Dedue clenches his eyes shut.

He cums on Ashe's stomach. Dedue blushes and goes silent for a few moments, but Ashe just laughs. Although he probably shouldn't tell Dedue… he's had this problem a few times now.

"It's fine," he chuckles, before noticing that Dedue is already… up again. His stamina is somewhat impressive. "Do you want to keep going?"  
"Yes," Dedue exhales. Ashe pours some more liquid onto his fingers, but truth be told… he's already quite loose. It's all too easy for him to slip two fingers in and scissor. He’s prepared.  
"Then are you ready?"  
"Yes."

Ashe puts his legs around Dedue's back. He sits on Dedue's thighs, but Dedue pulls him closer. "Can I put it in me?" he asks. 

"Yeah." Dedue blushing is a rare occasion. How could Ashe refuse? Besides, with the amount of lube Ashe put on Dedue… it slides into him easily. Ashe wraps his hands around Dedue's back and begins to move himself up and down.

"You don't have to move a muscle," he murmurs in-between his moans. He's in a sappy mood. "I wanna look after you… I missed you." (He's in love.)

Dedue just nods, but he still moves his hands to sit in Ashe's hair. He does not pull or grab: he just strokes it, the same way he did before. 

Somehow that act alone makes Ashe more eager. Dedue is so good to him, and he wants to be good to Dedue! 

He moves himself around between each movement of his hips, trying to find the best angle. It takes a while, but eventually… 

"Gods! Ashe!" Dedue practically cries, moving his head to rest upon Ashe's shoulder. It is an even more wonderful sound than his earlier moans. Ashe still has to check, of course.

"Are you alright?"  
"Yes!" Dedue declares, moving his own hips this time to thrust himself into Ashe. For a moment, Ashe becomes a moaning mess himself. Dedue manages to hit him in his sweet spot. But this isn't about him! It's about Dedue. 

Ashe moves his hands up to Dedue's shoulders so he can pull himself up. Dedue's good at this, though… with the way they move against each other, it won't be long until--

"I'm close," Dedue whimpers.  
"M-me too."

Ashe lifts himself up, and Dedue thrusts against him. Then Ashe is squeezing his eyes shut, and his toes curl. It lands on Dedue's stomach, and Dedue rides him through it. Not long after, he can feel Dedue's hot release inside of him.

They both sit there for a moment, panting. "Y-you were really good," Ashe manages to say as he catches his breath. Dedue shakes his head.  
"You were really good," he rebukes. Ashe just laughs as he crawls off. Some of it drips out onto Dedue's thighs.

"I need to run down to the bathhouse," Ashe huffs as he stands up. Dedue stands up with him, though.  
"Allow me to accompany you," he says, still out of breath himself. Once again, Ashe finds himself chuckling.  
"I suppose we should put some clothes on then!"

It's a horrible joke, yet they both laugh.

(Later that night, Dedue bathes him with the utmost care.) 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ashe and Dedue as they sneak into the bathhouse: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XAYhNHhxN0A  
> (Thank you for reading this chapter!)


	4. promised sword

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Felix and Dedue need to sort things out.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter is much shorter than the others. It's meant to serve as a sort of interlude. I hope you still enjoy.

A silent agreement is reached between the four of them. As long as everyone is happy and healthy… then what they do behind closed doors, together or not, is fine.    
  
Everything goes well at first. Sylvain makes his affection for Dedue obvious. He happily takes every opportunity to kiss Dedue. He even casually sits in his lap sometimes.    
  
(Behind closed doors, he begs Dedue for 'boobs in his mouth'. Behind closed doors, when Ashe pretends to sleep, he thanks Dedue for being 'so good' to Ashe.)

Felix, on the other hand… he had told Ashe that he was happy for him. That he knew Dedue would look after him. Despite that, Ashe can’t shake the feeling that Felix is avoiding Dedue. And on the rare occasion that Ashe does get to spend time alone with Felix… he just can’t hold his damn tongue. To say the least, he’s overly critical of Dedue.    
  
Ashe doesn’t like it. It’s hypocritical, considering Felix fights under Dimitri as well. He obviously can’t ask Felix to apologise, considering that he’s Felix… but he wants to tell him how he feels. It’s quite obvious where he will be, so after having a meal with Dedue and Sylvain, Ashe finds himself heading to the training grounds.    
  
Felix glances over at him and places his training sword down. "What is it?"    
"I just wanted to talk to you." Ashe takes a deep breath. "I… I don’t like how you speak about Dedue. Or how you avoid him." 

Felix narrows his eyes. "You don't care when I speak about the boar that way."  
"That's different. He's not my boyfriend."  
"Not yet."   
"Felix!"   
  
Sometimes Ashe gets tired of being nice. Once again, he has to take a deep breath before continuing. "That's not the point. The point is, I won't put up with you disrespecting Dedue. If you talked to him, you'd find out you're pretty alike, actually."

Felix pauses for a moment, pondering it over. "...Okay," he finally concedes. "I’ll speak to him sometime." 

Ashe smiles. He just wants his boyfriends to get along.

* * *

It was easier said than done. Felix doesn't even know what to say, let alone when and where to say it. He has to swallow his pride… 

The greenhouse is so full of life, yet so calm. Dedue is there, kneeling down so he can water the flowers. He doesn’t react to Felix walking in, and so for a moment, Felix just stands over his shoulder.   
  
He’s never been one for flowers. Glenn used to give them to Ingrid. Yet whatever is Dedue is growing… Felix can admit they’re aesthetically pleasing.    
  
"These are flowers of Duscur," Dedue says, finally breaking their silence.   
"Interesting," is all Felix can think to reply. He feels as if he can never understand what happened to Dedue.    
  
(Somewhere, there is a boy who never understood why his brother didn’t come home.)   
  
Dedue places his watering can down. He stands up to look Felix right in the eyes. "Am I needed for something?" 

"No," Felix sighs, staring at the ground. "I needed to speak to you, that’s all."   
"Then speak."   


"I’ve been rude to you," he admits.  _ He just has to swallow his pride. _ "I just don't understand why you listen to... him. Faerghus killed your family, didn't they? Shouldn't you hate Faerghus?"   


For a few seconds, there is only silence, before Dedue takes a deep breath. "I do hate Faerghus," he confesses. "Is that what you want to hear?"

_It’s not._ "Then why..." He still has so many questions, but he can’t even articulate what he wants to say. Thankfully, Dedue answers him anyway. 

"I do not hate Dimitri.” His voice is firm and unwavering, as if he’s saying that the sky is blue. “He and the rest of our former classmates are an exception. Hating all of Faerghus would be a waste of energy."

Felix stands there dumbfounded. “I’m sorry,” is all he can think to say.   
  
He means it. 

* * *

  
On one side of the dining hall’s table, Sylvain and Felix sit beside one another. Across them sit Ashe and Dedue. Tonight they eat mutton, seasoned with traditional Duscur spices.    
  


“You actually know how to cook,” Felix tells Dedue, but the grin on his face says otherwise. He obviously loves it.    
  
Ashe is happy.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> ...they have sheep in Fodlan, right?


	5. burning arrow

"I think we should give Felix some space."   
"Of course."

Rain patters against the windowsill. Despite the gloomy weather, Ashe's bed is cosy. Dedue is practically a human space heater, and he just loves to drape himself over the man. 

Not to mention, he's 'stolen' his scarf again. At this point, Dedue should just make a new one… He and Mercie have thrown around the idea of sewing together, after all.

But Ashe would eventually steal that one too...

  
"You know, Dedue," the man in question begins, "I still remember when Lonato passed."  
"It will fade with time."  
"No, I just wanted to thank you… what you did back then really helped."  
"It was the least I could do."  
"You're too humble!"  
" Yes," Dedue jokes. "I am extremely humble."

Ashe just laughs and begins to scatter kisses all across Dedue's body. If only he could kiss all those scars better…

He jumps back at the roar of thunder. Dedue manages to catch him. He whispers to Ashe that “everything is alright”. Ashe finds himself envisioning the lightning, though.

It is blue. It is like the lazuli accents of Dimitri's armour.

"Does Dimitri know?" Ashe asks. (Out of the blue, so to speak.). 

It is a question that Ashe should have asked a long time ago, yet he only thought now to say it. 

Dedue stares at the ceiling for a few moments before finally letting out a sigh. "His Highness is… important to me," he admits. His voice is somewhat somber. "We both know he knew before. I am unsure about now. He has been keeping his distance, even from me."

The mention of their days at the Officer's Academy brings a slight smile to Ashe's face, even if the context was bittersweet. Dimitri was awful at hiding in the bushes, but he was always cheering them on. 

"I hope he's okay," is all Ashe responds. Dedue kisses him on the forehead. (As is routine.)

"I do as well."

Dedue blows the candle out. There is silence, except for the pleasant sound of the rain.

Until Felix Hugo Fraldarius bursts through the door. He doesn't even knock, he just comes in and flops himself onto Ashe's bed. It'd be a tight fit, but Felix seems happy to just lie on top of Dedue. (Dedue does not mind.) 

"Do you want to talk about it?" 

Felix shakes his head. Ashe does not press the issue any further. With this new guest, Ashe slowly fades back into sleep--

Until he is once again interrupted. Letting the cold winds in, Sylvain stands in their door frame. He is panting. The words ' _ where's Felix _ ' barely make their way off his tongue before his eyes register what is going on. A sigh of relief escapes him. He closes the door behind him before sagging into the nearest chair.

* * *

"Mornin’," Sylvain casually yawns, stumbling onto his feet.   
"G-good morning," Ashe says, trying to keep quiet enough so as to not wake anyone. It’s too late, though.    
  
Felix lets out a grumble and shifts around in bed, only for Dedue to open his eyes and roll out of bed. "I’ll go get us breakfast," he says. They’re all awake now.    
Ashe just shakes his head. "No," he insists, "I’ll grab it."    
Sylvain in turn laughs. "Stop arguing. I can run down."

Felix lets out a long sigh before turning to face the wall. "You’re all idiots. I’m going back to bed."

"Hey!" Sylvain is about to quip back, but then there’s a knock on the door. They all pause.   
"I am not answering that," Felix sighs. Ashe lets out a sigh as well before opening the door a tiny crack. It is his room, after all.   
  
Dimitri is standing there. He looks like he’s actually slept. "Sorry to bother you," he says. His voice is the calmest it’s been these past few months. "Is Dedue there with you?"   
Ashe nods, hesitantly. He’s about to open the door a bit wider, but Dedue, despite his frame, manages to slip past him.    
He does a little bow. "Good morning, your Highness."   
"There’s no need to call me that," he mumbles. Ashe slips back inside. He doesn’t want to eavesdrop on anything. 

Sylvain has an awfully mischievous look on his face. "His Highness is looking pretty well."   
"Shut up." Felix’s face scrunches up. Sylvain just laughs.    
"You used to have the biggest crush on him. Shouldn’t you be happy for him?"

Ashe doesn’t say anything. He’s kind of dumbfounded. Felix, however, growls, before standing up. "I’m getting breakfast," he says, walking out of the room.    
  
Dimitri and Dedue are still standing in front of the doorway. He walks past them without comment. "I went too far there… I’m going to have to apologise. See ya, Ashe." Sylvain sighs, palming his forehead, before following behind Felix.

Dimitri just peers over at Ashe. ...he has a lot of explaining to do.


	6. reborn lance

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> They all agree that Dimitri is quite... handsome.

Dimitri, though, gods bless him, does not question anything. Dedue does tell him that he and Ashe are still together, so that's out of the way.   
  
Later that day, he attends their war council. He apologises to everyone.   
  
At the end of the month, they are to march on Fhirdiad.  
  
“Do you still think he’s hot?” Sylvain asks once they sit down for dinner in the dining hall. Felix looks disappointed, but not surprised. Ashe just awkwardly chuckles and chooses to say nothing.   
That doesn’t stop Sylvain. “For real, though,” he continues, his elbows on the table. “You totally increase morale. I’m sure we could include him in our little arrangement.”   
  
_He has a point, but…_ “I think he needs time to recover.” Not to mention Felix and Dedue have to agree, or the fact that Dimitri doesn’t know Ashe is dating the three of them.   
Felix, with his arms crossed, nods. “I wouldn’t be against it, though,” he admits under his breath. Sylvain gets the stupidest open-mouthed smile on his face.   
  


Felix elbows him before he can say anything more.

* * *

“His Highness… _Dimitri_ is important to me,” is Dedue’s response when Ashe first mentions it. They’re alone in the bathhouse. “I do not want to hurt him.” 

“Fair enough,” Ashe says. The words echo across the room. “Dimitri is just a great guy, I guess, and I am kind of… attracted to him.” 

“He is a handsome man by many standards.”   
Either Dedue is blushing, or the steam of the bath is getting to him. 

Ashe tries not to laugh.

* * *

In front of the crowds of Fhirdiad, the crown prince cried tears of happiness. Ashe felt as if he was experiencing history. It was a strange feeling. 

The day became even more surreal when Dedue told him that Dimitri, the man celebrated by the masses as their future king, wanted to speak to the two of them alone tonight. Who was Ashe to say no?

His heart beats a mile a minute that evening. Despite being snuggled up closely to Dedue, he can't seem to focus on his book. It’s probably a good thing that Dimitri’s knocking comes sooner rather than later. Dedue puts down his knitting before answering the door. Ashe marks his page but stays seated.

Dimitri has dressed down to a simple white button-down and black trousers. He’s a sight for sore eyes, to say the least. Dedue gestures him to come in and sit down. Not a single word is exchanged between them until Dedue takes his rightful place by Ashe’s side.

Dimitri calmly takes a deep breath. “I noticed the way you two work with Felix and Sylvain. Forgive me for asking, but… are you…?” 

Ashe nods. Dedue does so as well, placing a hand on his beloved’s shoulder. “Ashe is happy,” he states. “I have no qualms with our arrangement.”   
  
Dimitri pauses for a moment. “That’s… lovely,” he finally says, earnestly smiling. “Thank you for looking after my friends.” 

“I can look after you too, if you’d like.” The words come out without much thought.   
Dimitri’s face bursts red and his hair sticks up. He opens his mouth only to close it again.

Oh no. Ashe is blushing too now. “I didn’t mean it that way! Unless...”   
He turns to Dedue. Dedue just bows his head, trying to hide his amusement.   
“Unless you want to?”

“Yes!” Dimitri clenches his hands in front of him. His excitement is almost palpable.   
Dedue stands and gestures for Dimitri to take his place. “Shall I stay?”   
“Please do,” Dimitri answers, crawling to kneel on the bed. His hands hesitantly ghost over Ashe’s neck. “May I kiss you?” 

Ashe lightly laughs. This has gone much quicker than he thought… but it’s nice. “Of course, Dimitri.”   
  
Dimitri’s practically vibrating with excitement when he closes his eyes and leans down to kiss Ashe. His hands still over around Ashe’s neck, but he hesitates to touch.   
  
Ashe guides his hands for him, whilst Dedue quietly retrieves a special something from his dresser. Once Dimitri hazedly takes his lips off of Ashe’s, Dedue softly places the bottle in Ashe’s hands before stepping back. He pulls a seat over, sitting just a bit more than a metre away from his own bed.   
  
“I would like to watch,” he declares solemnly, taking a seat. (His legs are spread.)

Almost in sync, they both nod. There is a soft sound as Dedue takes off his trousers.  
Ashe pops open the bottle. “How do you want to do this?” 

Dimitri pauses, hesitating. "I cannot always control my own strength," he says. "So please… just touch me." 

“O-okay. Could you undress, then?”  
  
Dimitri eagerly - if not impatiently - does as told. Whilst Ashe spreads lubricant over his fingers, Dimitri discards his clothes onto the floor without much thought. (Dedue gets up for a moment just to fold them.)   
  
Now naked, he blissfully kneels in front of Ashe. Ashe can’t help smiling back as he strokes one hand down Dimitri’s back. He gently prods Dimitri’s legs open, and Dimitri is all too happy to comply. 

“This might feel weird,” he whispers. Dimitri just whines.   
“ _Please._ ”

Ashe takes a deep breath before spreading some of the lubricant around Dimitri’s entrance, before spreading even more over his own hand. He’s able to easily slip his index finger in. Dimitri obscenely moans before hurriedly wrapping his arms around Ashe to pull him closer.   
  
Ashe’s plan was to just stay still for a moment, to let Dimitri adjust… but Dimitri is impatient. He’s practically _squirming_ . Ashe concedes to his unspoken demands and curls his finger. He can feel Dimitri’s sweet spot.   
  
Dimitri goes still for a moment. His breathing is already heavy before Ashe presses down. With his free hand, Ashe begins to stroke his hair. His grip on Ashe’s back loosens. He doesn’t speak, but the noises he makes… 

Ashe is pretty sure Dimitri is enjoying himself.  
  
And just for a moment, Ashe turns to face Dedue… he’s biting his lip whilst touching himself. It is quite an alluring sight. Even though it’s just a moment, Dimitri begins squirming again. Ashe lets out a little giggle.   
  
“Impatient, are we?”   
  
Dimitri frantically nods in response. Ashe decides to be generous and add another finger to the massage. “That’s okay,” he whispers, continuing to caress Dimitri’s hair. “You’re doing really well.”

They continue like this for what in Dimitri’s opinion is far too long. Ashe whispers sweet nothings into Dimitri’s ear whilst stroking _that spot_ as Dedue silently watches. Dimitri’s moans slowly get louder, and when he spills onto his stomach, it’s without warning.   
  
All three of them start laughing at the same time. Ashe slowly pulls his fingers out as Dimitri moves his gaze to Dedue, who has stood up and took a washcloth from the dresser. His expression is awestruck. “Can I help you, Dedue?”   
“I have taken care of myself,” he says, pressing the damp cloth on Dimitri to clean up his mess. Once again Dimitri moves his attention. 

“Ashe?”  
  
Ashe pauses for a moment. He’s been so engrossed in pleasuring Dimitri that he had barely noticed the throbbing between his legs. “Can I quickly… with your thighs?”   
  
Dedue steps aside for a moment. Dimitri lays down on his back and holds his legs up. Ashe quickly undoes the lacing of his trousers and pushes himself in between Dimitri’s thighs.   
  
He’s already quite hard. It only takes two thrusts. By the time Ashe comes down Dedue’s already cleaning the mess up. (Again.) 

“Next time,” Dimitri says, his breath heavy, “let me look after you, Dedue.”  
Dedue smiles. “Next time.”

(That night, Ashe gets a good sleep in between them.)


	7. homemade meal (epilogue)

It’s been five years since the war ended. Ashe was declared a knight on the first day of King Dimitri’s reign. 

On this year’s anniversary of the goddess’ rite of rebirth, he finds himself in his room, surrounded by the men he loves. It's a rare occasion, for both Margrave Gautier and Duke Fraldarius to be in Fhirdiad. He cherishes these occasions.  
  
He rests his head in Dedue’s lap as Felix rides him. He takes care of Dimitri and Sylvain, who are on opposite sides of him, with his hands.  
  
To elaborate, he rests his head in _his husband_ ’s lap.  
  
Mercedes had declared them lawfully wed three years ago. She knew the truth, though.  
  
Ashe is in love with Dedue, of course, just… if he had his way, he’d have three more husbands. They were both of common birth, though, and it made a good excuse as to why Dimitri was visiting one of his knights so often. On paper, he’s merely discussing matters with his advisor. It got the court to shut up about Ashe.  
  
They still have their fair share of problems, though. Dimitri’s yet to produce an heir or officially court a woman, to the court’s dismay. Despite his late uncle’s promiscuity, he hasn’t been able to find any Blaiddyd bastards running around.  
  
What matters to him more is that Dedue finally calls him by his name again. Ashe feels similarly.  
  
The world isn’t perfect. It never will be. Sylvain’s father has yet to drop dead, Felix still has bad days, some still speak such awful words about Dedue...

Yet when they’re in each other’s arms like this, it’s all okay, if only for a minute.

Maybe he’ll open an inn.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you so much for reading this to the end!


End file.
